Scott M. Drouin, Ph.D.
Senior Principal Consultant
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Background
Dr. Scott Drouin is a principal toxicology consultant with over 28 years of experience in Toxicology, Immunology, Lung Physiology, infectious disease, food testing, and laboratory sciences.
As part of the Rimkus Toxicology and Food Safety practice group, Dr. Drouin leads cases involving exposure to drugs, alcohol, and contaminants in food; as well as human exposure to environmental substances; and employs toxicological principles to corroborate medical facts documented in exposure cases against known health endpoints to substantiate allegations and determine alternative causation.
Dr. Drouin specializes in cases investigating respiratory diseases. Specifically, those related to airborne exposure to environmental substances, including viruses (COVID-19), bacteria, mold, chemicals, asbestos, and carcinogens. His specialty lies in assessing the risk of developing respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, environmental allergies, asthma, and lung diseases from exposures to such environmental contaminants. Furthermore, Dr. Drouin can evaluate clinical testing procedures related to lung diseases and, by applying toxicological principles to these cases, can tie in the medical documentation as it may or may not relate to the alleged exposure. Air is a dynamic medium and constantly changing, as is the diversity and concentration of contaminants it contains at any one time. Thus, Dr. Drouin also evaluates respiratory exposure potential from a global perspective to help the client understand the potential alternative causation and can communicate these complex issues to the client.
Dr. Drouin’s work as an expert witness and litigation support has involved a diverse set of toxicological issues in the areas of workers compensation, toxic tort, environmental exposure, drug and alcohol, and allegations of environmental exposure due to product contamination.
Dr. Drouin has extensive laboratory research experience and broad-based training in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Immunology, and Lung Physiology and holds a Doctorate in Microbiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from Providence College in Rhode Island.
Education and Certifications
- Microbiology, Ph.D.: University of Alabama at Birmingham (1997)
- Biology & Chemistry, B.S.: Providence College (1991)
Associations and Memberships
- Society of Toxicology: Full Member
- American Thoracic Society: Full Member
- American Association of Immunology: Full Member
- American Association for the Advancement of Science: Full Member
Publications
- Drouin, SM. “Impact of Mold Mycotoxins on the Food Industry.” National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association, November 2024.
- Drouin, SM. “Serving Up Some Safety to Fight COVID-19.” National Retail & Restaurant Defense Association, September 2020.
- Drouin, SM. “Silicosis: Occupational Exposure to Silica from the Manufacture and Installation of Quartz Countertops.” Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, November 2020.
- Yuan X, Shan M, You R, Frazier MV, Jeongsoo-Hong M, Wetsel RA, Drouin SM, Seryshev A, Song L, Cornwell L, Rossen RD, Corry DB, and Kheradmand F. “Activation of C3a receptor is required in cigarette smoke-mediated emphysema.” Mucosal Immunol., 2015: 8: 874-885.
- Roy MG, Livraghi-Butrico A, Fletcher AA, McElwee MM, Evans SE, Boerner RM, Alexander SN, Bellinghausen LK, Song AS, Petrova YM, Tuvim MJ, Adachi R, Romo I, Bordt AS, Bowden MG, Sisson JH, Woodruff PG, Thornton DJ, Rousseau K, De la Garza MM, Moghaddam SJ, Karmouty-Quintana H, Blackburn MR, Drouin SM, Davis CW, Terrell KA, Grubb BR, O’Neal WK, Flores SC, Cota-Gomez A, Lozupone CA, Donnelly JM, Watson AM, Hennessy CE, Keith RC, Yang IV, Barthel L, Henson PM, Janssen WJ, Schwartz DA, Boucher RC, Dickey BF, Evans CM. “Muc5b Is Required for Airway Defence.” Nature, 2014: 505: 412-416.
- Lim H, Kim YU, Yun K, Drouin SM, and Chung Y. “Distinct Regulation of Th2 and Th17 Responses to Allergens by Pulmonary Antigen Presenting Cells In Vivo. Immunol.”, 2013: 156: 140-148.
- Lim H, Kim YU, Drouin SM, Mueller-Ortiz S, Yun K, Morschl E, Wetsel RA, and Chung Y, “Negative regulation of pulmonary Th17 responses by C3a anaphylatoxin during allergic inflammation in mice.” PloS One., 2012: 7: e52666.
- Kiss A, Montes M, Jaensen E, Drouin SM, Wetsel RA, Yao Z, Martin R, Kheradmand F, Corry DB. “A Pathogen-Activated Cellular Homing Pathway that Instructs Allergic Inflammation.” J Allergy Clin Immunol., 2007: 120: 334-342.
- Dillard P, Wetsel R, Drouin SM. “The Complement Anaphylatoxin C3a Regulates Muc5ac Expression by Airway Epithelial Clara Cells Independently of TH2 Responses.” Am J Resp Crit Care Med., 2007: 175: 1250-1258.
- Huber-Lang M, Vidya Sarma J, Zetoune FS, Rittirsch D, Neff TA, McGuire SR, Lambris JD, Warner RL, Flierl MA, Hoesel LM, Gebhard F, Younger JG, Drouin SM, Wetsel RA, Ward PA. “Generation of C5a in the absence of C3: a new complement activation pathway.” Med., 2006: 12: 682-687.
- Drouin SM, Sinha M, Sfyroera G, Lambris JD, Wetsel RA. “A Protective Role for the Fifth Complement Component (C5) in Allergic Airway Disease.” J. Resp. Crit. Care Med., 2006: 173: 852-857.
- Mueller-Ortiz SL, Drouin SM, Wetsel RA. “Presence of complement component C3 is critical for a protective immune response against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a murine model of pneumonia infection.” Immun., 2004: 72: 2899-2906.
- Matthews KW, Drouin SM, Liu C, Martin JF, Skidgel RA, Wetsel RA. “Expression of the third complement component (C3) and carboxypeptidase N small subunit (CPN1) during mouse embryonic development. Dev. Comp.”, 2004: 28: 647-655.
- Lawrenz MB, Wooten RM, Zachary JF, Drouin SM, Weis JJ, Wetsel RA, Norris SJ. “Effect of Complement Component C3 Deficiency on Experimental Lyme Borreliosis in Mice.” Immun., 2003: 71:4432-40.
- Drouin SM, Corry DB, Kildsgaard J, Hollman TJ, Wetsel RA. “Absence of the Complement anaphylatoxin C3a receptor suppresses Th2 effector functions in a murine model of pulmonary allergy.” Immunol., 2002: 169: 5926-5933.
- Drouin SM, Corry DB, Kildsgaard J, Wetsel RA., “The Absence of C3 Demonstrates a Role for Complement in Th2 Effector Functions in a Murine Model of Pulmonary Allergy.” Immunol., 2001: 167: 4141-4145
- Drouin SM, Kildsgaard J, Haviland J, Zabner J, Jia HP, McCray PB, Tack BF, Wetsel RA. “Expression of the Complement Anaphylatoxin C3a and C5a Receptors on Bronchial Epithelial and Smooth Muscle Cells in Models of Sepsis and Asthma.” Immunol. 2001: 166: 2025-2032.
- Drouin SM, Kiley S, Carlino JA, Barnum SR. “TGF-β regulates C3 gene expression in monocytes through a PKC-dependent pathway.” Immunol., 1998: 35: 1-11.
- Drouin SM, Carlino JA, Barnum SR. “Transforming growth factor-β2-mediated regulation of C3 gene expression in monocytes.” Mol. Immunol., 1997: 33: 1025-1034.